With five straight victories in the J.League, FC Machida Zelvia have moved to within six points of two-time reigning champion Vissel Kobe in the standings.
Zelvia (12 wins, four draws, eight defeats) are currently in sixth place, though. Their 40 points puts them behind Sanfrecce Hiroshima, Kyoto Sanga, Kashiwa Reysol and the Kashima Antlers ― who are in fifth, fourth, third and second place, respectively ー heading into the holiday weekend of August 8-11.
Vissel (14 wins, four draws, six defeats) hold a two-point advantage over Kashima and Kashiwa. In earning 46 points to date, manager Takayuki Yoshida's club is unbeaten since its 3-1 victory over Reysol on May 31. Vissel's current streak includes six wins and a draw.
Most recently, Vissel earned a 2-1 triumph over Fagiano Okayama on July 20. On the same day, Zelvia prevailed 1-0 over Tokyo Verdy.
An Enticing J.League Rematch
Zelvia and Vissel renew their budding rivalry on Sunday, August 10. Kickoff is at 7 PM at Machida Gion Stadium.
The teams' first showdown of 2025 was held on April 20. It was decided by a mistake ― an own goal by Zelvia in the 62nd minute produced the data for the history book: Kobe 1, Machida 0 at Noevir Stadium.
Zelvia defender Daihachi Okamura expressed disappointment after that match.
"We managed to defend stubbornly even when the opponent had the ball, but the goal conceded from a mistake was regrettable," Okamura told reporters in Kobe.
J.League star Yuya Osako, who had a combined 33 goals in Vissel's back-to-back title-winning campaigns, was a focal point of Okamura's defensive assignment in the April match.
"I think it was a game that could have gone either way," Okamura commented. "Personally, I don't feel like Osako really got the better of me, but the team didn't get the result it wanted. So in that sense, we still have a lot of work to do."
Zelvia manager Go Kuroda recognized that the match offered a valuable measuring stick for the team.
"In the first and second halves, we tried to neutralize our opponents' strengths and connect them to our own attack," Kuroda said on April 20. "We were able to create many chances, but luck was not on our side, and we realized that we need to improve our skills."
Kuroda continued: "While there are individual areas for reflection, I am deeply disappointed that the match ended in defeat due to an unfortunate goal."
Success in the Emperor's Cup
In the 2025 Emperor's Cup, aka the 105th Japan Football Championship, defending champion Vissel booked a spot in the quarterfinals with a 2-1 win over Toyo University on Wednesday, August 6.
Also Wednesday, Zelvia advanced to the tourney's quarterfinal round for the first time, with forward Shota Fujio notching the lone goal of their fourth-round game against Sanga in the 59th minute.
The quarterfinals are set for August 27, and Kuroda's target is crystal clear.
"We will do whatever it takes to win," the Zelvia boss said of his team's title quest, according to Tokyo Shimbun.
In 2024, in their first season in the J.League first division, Zelvia placed third overall, just six points behind Vissel. And with capable leader Kuroda in charge, the Machida-based team's lofty expectations shouldn't be dismissed as unrealistic.
Tone-Setting Players for Zelvia
Statistics don't tell you everything about a match, a team, or a player. But several months of stats help paint a picture about a team's strengths and weaknesses.
For Zelvia, for example, offensive stalwarts Yuki Soma (seven goals, six assists) and Takuma Nishimura (six goals, three assists) are vital ― and seemingly irreplaceable.
In addition, the team's overall intensity and hard-working persona is augmented by the tone-setting energy of Ibrahim Dresevic, Okamura, and Gen Shoji. Again and again, their physicality disrupts opponents. They've combined for 141 tackles in the team's 24 J.League matches to date, with Dresevic's 51 leading the club.
Igniting the Vissel Offense
Taisei Miyashiro (nine goals) and Erik Lima (seven) lead the high-precision Vissel offense. And Osako (five goals) is always a threat to boot the ball into the net.
Not to be overlooked is talented midfielder Daiju Sasaki, the team leader in assists (eight).
Furthermore, Vissel are one of the top defensive clubs in the J.League, yielding just 0.9 goals per game (tied for the second-fewest allowed).
But nobody insists that winning should always be easy. It isn't, as Monday's Vissel Kobe-Toyo University match demonstrated.
The pro team was the clear-cut favorite, but victory wasn't secured until Miyashiro scored the winning goal in the second half of extra time.
Presiding over a consistent winner, Vissel boss Yoshida said the team had a subpar performance in the Emperor's Cup match.
"We didn't meet our own standards," Yoshida said after game against Toyo University, according to the team's official website. "In the second half, we changed the lineup and regained our usual alertness, but we have to do what we have to do. Prediction, reaction, alertness ... we couldn't do any of it."
Looking ahead, what will Vissel accomplish in their marquee match against Machida?
And how will red-hot Machida handle the pressure of facing another team on an impressive run?
We shall see.
What's more, it could become one of the seminal matches of the J.League season.
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Author: Ed Odeven
Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.
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